The Burden of Hope
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: The Southern Cataclysm nearly annihilated Magvel, but death and destruction returns once more. Empress L'Arachel fights for truth, justice, and RIGHTEOUSNESS, but at what cost? Heroes from many lands come to face their destiny, and not a few will die. As the world burns, can reason prevail? Can morals survive? Parts of FE2, FE 6/7, FE 12 included. Language Warning.
1. Jehanna

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Fire Emblem, or had some say in Intelligent Systems' inner workings, I wouldn't be writing this fic. I'd be directing the development of this actual game. :)

Warning: Language

Fire Emblem: The Burden of Hope

Summary: The Defeat of the Dark Lord and the subsequent Southern Cataclysm shattered the balance of power in Magvel. With the Grado Empire in ruins, the Divine Empress of Rausten, L'Arachel, strives to restore order. The continent lies infested with heathens and nonbelievers: those who refuse to accept the Divine Emperor's wisdom and guidance. Old allies prove treacherous, and bandits and foreign infidels strive to disrupt Her Divine Destiny. In the midst of it all monsters have returned to these lands, and heroes from distant lands come to face their destiny.

Will the Light Prevail over the Darkness, or will Formotis' power return once more?

* * *

Prologue: Scattered Sandcastles

They were coming.

The King of Jehanna stood erect, sniffing the lingering scent of his wife as she fled the palace. Rausten ordered his Queen to submit to a tribunal, accusing her of 'sedition.'

When the Dark God Formotis fell before the combined might of Magvel's finest warriors, peace had returned to the continent for a time. For seven years Magvel knew prosperity and calm, yet the unthinkable happened.

To the common man, the idea of an earthquake strong enough to split the earth asunder was unthinkable, yet Prince Lyon and Knoll had predicted this catastrophe long ago. It was why Lyon had allowed Formotis to consume his body and soul: it was the only way to gain the power necessary to prevent this disaster.

Lyon had failed, and Knoll knew this day would come. As the aftershocks subsided he called for help from all four corners of the continent.

Yet, either due to an old hatred of Grado or damages from the war, hardly anyone answered.

Only Natasha, Queen of Jehanna, answered his call. She came with hundreds of men, bishops of the finest holy orders, along with thousands of hands to help the tormented populace.

But while her volunteers worked, two other nations were inspired to aid. Frelia and Rausten were the only nations who retained some form of autonomy during the war: others had either been nearly eliminated or heavily ruined by enemy assaults. Frelia was short on manpower, but not on wealth, and she provided the resources while Rausten, left relatively unscathed from the previous conflict, sent hordes of men.

From this 'aid' Grado split in two: The new "Theocracy of East Grado" adopted a system of government to mirror its Rausten backers, but a small portion to the west, calling itself the "New Grado Empire, turned to Frelia's wealth for aid.

But Natasha saw no difference between the two: these people needed her no matter what. And as she provided aid to both factions Rausten began to show its true colors. When she began to train clerics in the art of healing and tending to the wounds of the people, Rausten claimed she was preparing a light magic corps to combat its authority. As she refused their demands to disband her clerics or subject them to Rausten oversight, so the Theocracy of Rausten made its move.

With the sudden death of Divine Emperor Mansel, Empress L'Arachel took the scepter, and her first command was to begin the 'liberation' of the 'heathen' land

And so, with the bulk of her 'armies' serving as mercenaries and the majority of the population reeling from the war, Jehanna was the first to taste blood once more!

* * *

Chapter 1: The Fall of Jehanna

**Jehanna Hall, Rear Entrance**

Footsteps echo across the tiles of the palace halls.

A mess of blond hair flies forth, with few shades of red following it.

All around her Natasha could hear the screams of men. Rausten had come. Rausten was here. But why would Rausten betray them?

Beside her were two of Jehanna's knights: Paladins who swore to avenge the shameful defeat of Jehanna's troops when Formotis returned.

"Thank you, brave knights, but I can take it from here."

"Nay, milady." One of the knights shook his head fiercely. "How could we abandon our charges? His majesty ordered us to see you to Frelia, or Renais at least."

"My husband needs you! I can care for my children alone. My mare is swift: she was with me when we slew the demon."

Joshua's son and daughter whimpered, and clung to the knights as they saw the rage in their mother's eyes.

"Milady, many apologies, but Jehanna's finest has been cut to the last. Two more knights could do little against Rausten's tide. Lord Joshua is most wise: he will surely withdraw once he is certain of your safety. We are knights of Jehanna, it is our duty to protect the royal family at all costs. Please, we have wasted too much time already. Rausten does not know about these new, secret tunnels, but we must flee before their riders fan out and catch us."

Natasha sighed. Perhaps faith was the only thing she could rely on now.

* * *

**Jehanna Hall, Throne Room**

A halberdier came running, with an arrow still lodged in his shoulder. He bowed before Joshua's throne.

"My lord, the enemy has broken through the front gate. We have no time: escape now, or they will be upon us!"

Joshua shook his head. "I hear them. It's too late. This must have been what Ephraim felt at Renvall, but I'm not Ephraim."

He sighed.

"They've got us with our backs to the wall, but they won't kill us that easily. Men, you are Jehanna's finest, the soldiers who survived Grado's hordes. Are you going to let another nation walk over us? We'll show her **why** it was a bad idea to raid our homes!"

* * *

**Jehanna Hall, Main Gate**

"Well, I've got to hand it to him: Joshua picked some decent troops. I honestly thought they'd be easy, with such low experience and all."

Marisa simply rolled her eyes at Gerik's banter.

"What? It's true. Jehanna's army hasn't really had much time to get their act together. Can't blame them, though. Who would have thought they'd be attacked by their own ally?"

"... I already hate this job." She growled.

"You think I don't? But we owe it to L'Arachel, even if we have to stab another friend in the back. Ah, well, such is the life of a mercenary." Gerik groaned as the pair advanced, slashing their way through Jehanna's troops.

* * *

**Frelian Court**

"Impossible! Father couldn't be so careless. Carcino's men are nothing but rabble!"

"Milord, I would rather die than lie to you. His Majesty Hayden is dead: Carcino's mage corps slew him and annihilated our air force with some new tome. Such foul magic lacks the awesome power of Excalibur, but its rage was well felt."

Innes howled in rage as his pegasus knight messenger bowed quietly before him. Upon hearing of Rausten's invasion of Jehanna, King Hayden personally led a legion of Frelian troops to assist. Such an army would be forced to march through Carcino, the merchant state, in order to reach Jehanna. Little did they know, Carcino had allied itself with Rausten, and thus they were walking into a trap.

With most of Frelia's forces consisting of pegasus knights, their defeat would ensure that few, if any reinforcements would come to Joshua's aid.

"Rausten would be certain that we'd send pegasus knights, and by eliminating them that leaves us with few options to reinforce Jehanna quickly. I... I should have gone in father's place. My snipers might take longer, but we'd be able to slip past those money grubbing merchants in a week at most. Why would she do this? Why would Rausten betray us all?"

The pegasus knight knelt there, her eyes cast low towards the floor.

"I suppose this makes me King. Ephraim must be laughing right about now."

* * *

**Castle Renais, Royal Quarters**

"Erika, words cannot describe the beauty I feel when I gaze into your eyes."

"Oh, Ephraim." The queen smiled, her eyes twinkling with joy. "There's no need for words anymore, now that we've been one for over five years."

"Even so, I find it essential to say to the world: I am blessed! I am engulfed in love! I see many souls glare at us, even when we are out of sight, but I believe they simply cannot comprehend the splendor of a miracle, a miracle like our love."

"Indeed." Erika frowned. The wail of a young child began to fill the room. "Oh, Michael must be hungry. Ephraim, do not fret. I will care for him. Wait for me."

"Darling, I could wait forever!"

Behind their chamber doors, the knight Seth stood there, brooding.

"I wonder if King Fado could have foreseen this. Their love was obvious even then, but who could have imagined it would go beyond sibling affection?"

A flash of green came barreling forth, only for Seth to catch it mid-sprint.

"What is it, Franz?"

"General! We have news from Frelia: Rausten has continued its advance into Jehanna, and it is believed that they reached its legendary Hall!"

"So Joshua could not stop L'Arachel's rampage. I knew that Natasha's openness would be a curse in disguise. Rausten and Frelia compete over Grado, but now their quarrel has brought Jehanna to ruin."

"General, we must inform His Majesty."

"Ephraim is _busy_ right now, Franz. Go back to your post."

"But sir!"

"They might take some time to react to your news, Franz. And right now they cannot be disturbed."

Franz turned pale. "Yes, sir."

As he watched his protegee go, Seth sighed. "The people will tolerate this for so long, but by the time Michael comes of age not a few will doubt whether he is worthy of rulership. Someone is bound to challenge their line, but what can we do about that?"

* * *

**Jehanna Hall, Throne Room**

The remains of his men lay all around him. The stench of their bodies was just beginning to reach his nose.

Sure, a handful of Rausten's troops were also dead, but what solace could that give him? Jehanna had nothing now: her knights were gone, her people were conquered yet again, and her spirit would be no more.

"Gerik, Marisa, it's been a long time." Joshua spoke calmly, yet solemnly, as though they had all gathered for a funeral.

"Yeah, too long." Gerik nodded.

"I wasn't expecting you to be on L'Arachel's payroll. My men should have recognized you."

"Well, like you said, it's been a long time. Sorry, Joshua. This is the life of a mercenary."

"Caellach said something like that. So it's nothing personal, is that it?"

"I'm not that heartless. None of us wanted this, even her. But I need to put food on the table. And she needs to 'restore order,' apparently. I... I don't want to do this, Joshua. Surrender. Your men put up a good fight. They sure didn't seem like rookies. Rausten could use your talents: we could even help you rebuild. All you have to do is join us and help convince Innes to do the same."

"You come in here, slaughter my soldiers, conquer my people, and say to my face that you want me to sit down and turn the other cheek? Am I talking to Gerik, or one of Rausten's dogs?"

Marisa drew her blade. "... No one can say that to him, not even you."

"I never thought either of you would betray us!" Joshua screamed. "Especially You!" He thrust his finger at _her_.

For a moment, the Crimson Flash froze, her face flushing as Gerik drew his own blade. "We practiced a lot back in the day, and I guess I'll see your strength in the worst way possible. Come, Joshua, show us what you've become."

"You talk like a friend, traitor, when all you've done is show me your true colors. I'm not going down so easily. Prepare yourself!" Joshua growled as he drew his sword and lunged at the old mercenary.

The next few moments were like a dream.

Joshua flew forward, like some tiger possessed, and his blade hacked away at Gerik's armor. His blade flew elegantly and precisely, and after a few strikes Gerik actually dropped his weapon.

But before Joshua could finish his dance and cleave Gerik's head off his neck, Marisa pounced forward.

_She really is the Crimson Flash_. He thought as her blade plunged into his chest.

As she yanked her sword out of him, Joshua fell to the floor.

He heard the beating of hooves, and soon another familiar face appeared beside the couple.

"Joshua! I don't want to see you die here. Tell me now, will you submit and join the cause of light?!"

The young king laughed as blood spilled out of his dying form. "L'Arachel, you mad whore. I am Jehanna's King, not a worthless toad. You will pay for your sins today. See you in hell." He gasped out those final words, and fell silent.

"Damn." She shook her head. "Stubborn 'till the end. But we are righteous, not animals like Grado once was. Gerik, once you are ready you will lead the effort to clean these halls and bury these brave warriors. That's the least we can do for him. Our clergy will reassure the people of Jehanna that they can fight for a better cause now. Joshua is gone, but Ismaire's legacy won't end here." L'Arachel put on a blank mask as she closed Joshua's eyes.

* * *

**Carcino, Department of Acquisition, Head Office  
**

In a dark room kept shady and unpleasant by thick curtains and only one entrance, a young man in mage's robes hesitantly opens the door and enters.

He steps towards a long, rectangular table, where a man in a dark hood sits at the opposite end.

"Chief Enforcer, reports from Jehanna indicate that Rausten is certain to overrun what remains of their local militia. Once Jehanna has been fully pacified, there will no longer be any threats from the east."

"Excellent..." The hooded man chuckles. "But Frelia may harass us in desperation as she tries to reach her beleaguered ally. Tell our men to remain at their posts, this is no time to celebrate even if we only have one front to worry about. Carelessness on our part will be our doom."

"Yes, sir." The mage leaves as he quietly shuts the door.

"_Whew, he didn't turn me into a newt._" The mage shivered as he paced down the halls of Carcino's governmental hall. Since the death of Pablo, the nation took an interesting turn: The Council of Elders was renamed "The Board of Directors," and the entire nation began to act as one economic entity. The death of so many prominent guild leaders and wealthy merchants due to Renais and Frelia's men in the last war inspired so many changes, but with the backing of Rausten Carcino's elite began to act much more assertive.

The mage, who called himself Tim, wonder if this was for better or worse.

As Tim exited the Head Office, he felt a deep chill coming from the southwest, from the direction of the so-called "New Grado Empire."

The chill felt _expected_ somehow, and he remembered a conversation he once had with some fellow in Carcinoan Intelligence.

_"I heard from some guys stationed in the south that Prime Minister Knoll started some new project, something about going back in time. I heard that the entire laboratory has begun to freeze over somehow, and that huge tracks of the Empire's capital city need thick winter coats and gloves if anyone hopes to survive over there. It's anyone's guess how this could happen when summer's just about to start."_

All of Magvel had gone mad, Tim decided, and the sooner Rausten could sort things out, the better.

* * *

_With Jehanna pacified by Rausten's holy, indomitable, righteous crusaders, the Empress L'Arachel turns to her next target: the elusive and seditious Queen of Jehanna and her supporters in the Frelian-backed New Grado Empire. The pious Theocracy of East Grado needs Rausten's support more than ever, and the Empress would never abandon an ally, especially in such a dark hour._

_The threat of Frelia rumbles in the distance, and Carcino's industrious mage crops can do little to stem its tide. If Rausten is destined to bring light to the world, she must find new ways to crush these champions of chaos!_

* * *

**Author's Note**: Yes, I came out of retirement for this shlock. No, I'm not writing any more fics after this. The plot is mostly planned out at this point, but I am willing to accept any requests you might have. The author would like to thank Kaze-Kami-Ha for Tactics of the Stones, which was a major inspiration for this fic. The author would also like to thank the other writers on this site who have come and gone and helped him in his journey as a writer.

Most importantly, I thank you for reading this! I hope you enjoy the ride.

P.S. Characters from FE Gaiden (2), FE 7, FE 12, and certain items/perks from FE 6 will appear in this tale. Of course, the tale ends before the start of FE 6, but that's neither here nor there. Expect various scenes between the cast of FE 2 and certain members of FE 12's crew, since they're ON OPPOSITE SIDES, MWAHAHAHA! Ahem, again, I hope this will be enjoyable. This chapter was supposed to be short as a taste of what's to come!


	2. Renvall I

Chapter 2: The First Battle of Renvall

"Brother Duessel, the enemy has been spotted. Our scouts report that they number over a hundred men. Empress L'Arachel's honor guard are reportedly en route, but we doubt they will arrive before our foes begin their assault."

Duessel leaned back on Renvall's throne. The great fortress was one of two great castles in the Theocracy's hands: the other was the original Grado Keep itself, restored to only a fraction of its former glory. Knoll had made sure that Taziel, Capital of the New Grado Empire, would outshine the old capital in its splendor, but the Theocracy would not be outdone.

Renvall was their jewel, but perhaps it was not destined to remain so for long.

The Paladin who reported to him continued to kneel steadfastly, eying the old general with a raised eyebrow.

Duessel simply sighed. "I understand, Brother Captain. Have you reported to Bishop Thomas?"

"No sir, I was under the impression that you are the commander of this garrison."

"No doubt, but our holy mages and healers must be made aware of our situation as well. Have the good Bishop rally his monks and sages, our clerics must also be well protected from these bandits. Who knows what they are capable of?"

"Of course, sir."

"Inform the men that I will take to the field. Innes' legions are mighty, no doubt, but we will prevail."

* * *

"Lord Raymond, this is our first actual battle after that horrendous assault on The Dragon's Gate! Aren't you excited? Mark ordered us to defend the convoy while he sallied forth against the Dragon, but..."

"Lucius, shut up."

"This land is quite strange as well. Many monks choose not to wear a bishop's frock. They choose the robes of a sage instead. That's unheard of back home."

"Lucius, focus." Raven snapped, gripping the thinner, dainty man's shoulders tightly. "You may feel nervous, but you've proven your worth before. This rabble will not defeat us."

The beautiful man beamed. "Oh, Lord Raymond, your comforting words warm my heart so!"

"... Just shut it."

The Theocracy's warriors poured out of the castle, while those manning the old ballistas muttered their prayers as the infidels came pouring from the west.

"How comical. They have left the western ballista weakly defended. Are they mocking us?"

"Lord Raymond, it may not be so wise to judge our opponents so eagerly. It is quite possible that they considered the west ballista to be weakly defended. I heard our cavalier's complaining about enemy scouts and our inability to eliminate them in time. Perhaps our opponent seeks to distract us with that ballista."

"Either way, a true tactician would have never let the enemy seize a siege weapon so easily. Mark would never have been so careless."

"Perhaps, but it would be wise to stay on our guard."

Frelian pegasus knights flew beside entire companies of mercenaries, and Raven and Lucius fell upon their foes in the midst of that horde. While Duessel's colleagues charged at this wave of infantry and aerial knights, their horses proved inefficient to break their opponent's momentum.

With a gleaming aura, Lucius swung his arms and sent massive waves of light crashing into his enemy's eyes. He heard them howl. He heard them scream. He watched them claw at their eyes to somehow get rid of that blinding light.

Magic was a vicious weapon indeed.

Raven's sword was, perhaps, a more merciful way to go. As it hacked back and forth, limbs and heads were sent flying. As a particularly brave paladin came charging at him with silver spear in hand, so Raven leapt towards his quarry and cleaved the knight's skull in twain. When Raven's thick iron blade nearly bisected their comrade, several knights shivered in place. A few fled while Frelia's men shrugged their soldiers and did not pursue.

But one knight stood stubbornly on the bridge leading to Renvall's gates.

"I am Duessel, the great Obsidian! Who dares to challenge me?!"

When Raven was about to step forth, a heavily armored knight with strangely pink plating came lumbering out of the castle, only stopping when he(?) placed a heavily armored glove on the knight's arm.

"Duessel, you shouldn't. Did you see what that warrior just did to Sir Gawain?"

"Amelia, not now." Duessel muttered gently. "Withdraw, head back to the castle. I will take care of this rabble."

"No, Duessel, I don't want to see you get hurt!"

For a moment, Raven lowered his blade and Lucius came running.

"Lord Raymond, it seems the enemy commander's own spouse was also a combatant, but she clearly expresses a desire to withdraw. I suggest we let them: there's no need to kill more than necessary."

Several of Frelia's finest pegasus knights arched their eyebrows at that.

"Who are you to suggest we give our foes quarter, sell-sword?" One of them called.

"Well, I may not be one of Frelia's official warriors, but surely the Kingdom of Frelia is wise, kind, and generous enough to allow noncombatants to withdraw unharmed. If Sir Duessel here lowers his lance, then he becomes a non-combatant, does he not?"

Amelia gripped tighter on Duessel's arm. The old general merely stared at Lucius with some amusement.

"Tell me why I should surrender to you, mercenary."

Lucius smiled. "Isn't it obvious? You are outnumbered, and quite frankly outgunned. No matter how strong you are, experience in these matters has taught me that a team of veterans can kill any formidable individual. I marched with men who slew a dragon: I've killed dozens of men with my powers. It is horrible and terrifying to take a life, but if you insist on harming my comrades I will have no choice but to aid in your death as well. I don't want to rely on violence, and I hope you have the sense to not want to either."

"I cannot simply allow you to take this citadel. Renvall is a stronghold of the Theocracy of East Grado, the nation to whom I have pledged my allegiance. I suggest you..." Before Duessel could finish his sentence, a mysterious, circular white light began to shine around and underneath his stead, and the general disappeared. A few seconds later, a similar circle appeared under the dame knight Amelia, and she disappeared as well.

"That was anticlimatic." Lucius muttered as Raven raised his blade and cried for the others to follow him.

* * *

**Eastern provincial boundary of Renvall**

Duessel blinked as the white light faded. He saw a woman on a horse before him, holding a Rescue staff tightly and muttering to herself. A few moments later, Amelia appeared in another flash of light.

The woman looked quite familiar, and Duessel saw Amelia squint her eyes as well. In a moment of clarity, they called out that mysterious woman's name: "L'Arachel!"

"Indeed." The Empress smiled. "I am glad that I managed to get you out safely."

"L'Arachel, why have you taken me and Amelia from our posts? Without our support, Renvall is certain to fall."

"Even with your great strength, Renvall would likely fall regardless, you old ox. One of my head bishops, Father Renault, heard the reports about the enemies arrayed against you, and nearly fainted in shock. According to Renault, two of the enemy mercenaries are former comrades of his: powerful warriors who could slay dozens of men by themselves.

"You are a mighty warrior, but one of them is a divine mage. His features are pure white and resemble the beauty of a white rose, but once he speaks one can tell that he is a man. His spells have scorched the eyes out of many a soldier. It is said that when he appears in the battlefield one can hear the echoing screams of countless men. The other is a powerful mercenary, much like our old friend Gerik, and he is known to effortlessly hack skulls in twain with his mighty sword, even if those skulls were covered by helmets.

"With both of them, and the armies of Frelia by their side, I did not want to risk losing you. The Theocracy of East Grado would surely collapse with the fall of its greatest General. Besides, Amelia is a precious part of our forces as well. If you fell, your husband would certainly lose the will to fight on... Not to mention the fact that both of you are old friends, and as Empress of Rausten I don't let old friends die."

Amelia shivered slightly as she replied: "But what of Joshua? I heard that he did not survive the liberation of Jehanna."

Duessel stared at his wife uneasily, and looked back at L'Arachel, who merely lowered her head.

"Indeed. Joshua perceived our Crusaders as an affront to his reign. He could not tolerate the death of Jehannan warriors even if they fought for chaos and darkness. Joshua meant well, he wanted to restore Jehanna to prosperity, but making deals with those Frelian bandits is not the answer. I... I still weep sometimes when I think of our journey together."

Duessel nodded. "The death of old friends is saddening, but it is merely a sign of these dark times. Thank you for your help, milady. Now, how may we serve?"

"It is clear that Renvall is lost, but East Grado has not capitulated just yet. Still, as Rausten forces rush forth to reinforce Grado Keep, you will join me as we return to the Imperial Rausten Court. I need your council, and you need to meet a few new allies of ours. Let's go, before those Frelian dogs catch wind of us!"

With that, Empress L'Arachel, Generals Duessel and Amelia, and the Imperial Rausten Honor Guard rode north towards the Rausten capital.

* * *

******Castle Renais, Royal Quarters**

There was a letter on their dresser.

Having read that letter, Ephraim paced the floor as his wife watched.

"So Innes wants us to help him in this war." She spoke. It was not a question.

"So it seems." The King of Renais muttered.

"Why?" She cried, her fists tightening as she approached her husband. "Why is he forcing us to fight again? We've all lost so much, and none of our nations have had the time to recover..."

"It sure seems as though Rausten did quite well." Ephraim muttered.

"L'Arachel wouldn't kill us all. She wouldn't be like Lyon or Tirado. She couldn't!"

"You did hear about Joshua, didn't you? Rausten's forces killed him, and took Jehanna Hall."

"... Maybe, but reports from Jehanna show that her men are nothing like Grado's. Jehanna might have lost her king, but her people still prosper."

"Erika, Joshua was our friend too. Together, we defeated Formotis. L'Arachel has betrayed that friendship, even if she hasn't ripped everything to shreds. She killed him, and I'll bet that she'll kill us as long as we resist. Do you want Renais to be absorbed? To be nothing more than a vassal state or even some large province to Rausten's empire?"

"But, but Carcino. They retain their autonomy."

"Carcino is nothing more than Rausten's buffer. The Theocracy of Rausten would have little use for the Kingdom of Renais. Carcino isn't a monarchy, it's a collection of merchants who rule over nothing more than a city-state. But our line has ruled over this land for so long: if Rausten hopes to conquer the world she cannot afford to let us maintain our reign here. She'd have to get rid of us in order to appoint someone she could trust."

"No. Ephraim, don't go. Innes might need you but I need you more! Renais will remain neutral in this war, what would Frelia possibly do to us? It's not as though Frelia has countless men: Innes won't attack us if it'll divert men away from his attack on Rausten."

"Erika, we have a duty. A duty to Renais, but also a greater duty to the world. L'Arachel has betrayed her duties, and with her conquest of Jehanna she's beginning to use Grado's methods. I don't know what she wants, maybe she has a very good reason for all of this, but with Joshua's death this has become personal. We owe it to him, we owe it to everyone who fought beside us to stop Rausten before it's too late. I'm sure the L'Arachel we knew wouldn't have wanted this."

"But Ephraim, what about...?"

"Take care of Michael. Stay here, I won't let you get hurt. The Royal Guards will help you protect Renais while I'm gone. Take care, Erika. I will return."

"Ephraim!" She called out, but he left her there, sitting helplessly in their bedchamber.

* * *

As Ephraim emerged from the royal quarters, Seth stood before him and saluted. "My lord, our men are prepared. His Majesty Innes is surely waiting for us near the Frelian citadel of Mulan."

"I understand. How many troops have we rallied here?"

"We have a regiment of horsemen, pikemen, and archers, with several squads of paladins and snipers. We also have a few halberdiers, but most of them have been stationed in defense of the capital and our southeastern border. Prime Minister Knoll of the New Grado Empire has vowed to maintain our alliance, which ensures Serafew's safety, and his victory over East Grado at Renvall has reduced pressure on our southern garrisons, but we cannot afford to lower our guard."

"Understood. What of Commander Kyle's battalion of _Great Knights_? I was under the impression that you intended for them to gradually replace our heavily armored divisions."

"Indeed, my lord. We have gathered a few squads of his battalion, but Colonel Kyle has opted to assist in Renais' defense. I agree with his assessment that we should not commit too many of our troops in future battles. If we retain a formidable reserve, then Rausten will think twice about invading us even if our forces suffer defeat in this Frelian-Rausten war."

"And the mage corps?"

"They and our divine monks have mostly been assigned to Renais' defense as well. I understand that the New Grado Empire has contributed much of its mage corps to Frelia's war effort. Prime Minister Knoll has certainly emphasized their training over a more conventional army of swords and spears. We don't need to send that many mages on this campaign."

"I understand. Thank you, Seth. Together, we can end this conflict quickly and return home."

"I hope you are right, my lord. But I do have some bad news."

"Oh?"

"Renais' forces may be unharmed, but Frelian casualties have been immense. As you know, Queen Vanessa instituted a policy regarding Frelia's emphasis on her pegasus fleet. They call them the 'Frelian Air Force.' This air force has become the key part of Frelia's combat doctrine, and so many Frelian women have been conscripted into her military for this purpose."

"And, Seth?"

"... And they have thus taken the blunt of Frelia's casualties against Carcino. Carcino has somehow gotten its hands on a tome that has similar effects as the legendary Excalibur, but with a much weaker potency. This new tome annihilates aerial units, as it takes the form of several blades of wind."

"Sounds terrible. And Frelia's "air force" can't handle them?"

"No, sir. Although General Gilliam's _repatriation_ has worked wonders on helping Vanessa and Syrene gather a strong force of armored knights and heavy cavalry of their own, Frelian ground forces remain fairly limited compared to Frelia's air force. And with Frelia's air force taking so many casualties, well, that's why Innes needs our help."

"I see. Well, Renais does not have much of an "air force" compared to Frelia or even the New Grado Empire, but I'm sure we can spare a few pegasus knights..."

"My lord, I would much rather have those knights defend our borders for the time being. But no more talk, we must hurry."

"Indeed. Prepare my steed and inform the men. We deploy now!"

* * *

**Rausten Court**

The Empress sauntered leisurely to her throne, and took a seat. As her new guests watched, five people marched in clean, synchronized formation into the room, taking their places at their Empress' sides.

Duessel's eyes scanned each of these strangers, and one of them looked particularly alarming.

Jaffar stared back.

L'Arachel followed Duessel's gaze, and grinned.

"He's my new bodyguard."

"And you've made Dozla your gatekeeper?"

"Of course! That bull has been an excellent companion for so long. I wouldn't trust anyone else to defend my home."

Duessel simply nodded warily, his eyes never leaving Jaffar's own piercing gaze.

"At any rate, allow me to introduce the rest of my retinue. You've met Jaffar, but his wife Nino is with us as well."

A young, fairly attractive woman with green hair stepped forward and curtsied slightly.

"I am Nino, sage of Bern. Since arriving here in Magvel I have heard of your exploits, General. My husband," and with that she glanced at Jaffar "and I are honored to fight by your side."

Duessel nodded as a surprisingly old man approached, and bowed. He was covered in the robes of a high ranked Bishop.

"I am Renault, Head Bishop of her Divine Majesty's Inquisitorial unit. General, your service in the Theocracy of East Grado and your previous assistance against Formotis is the stuff of legend. I am certain that with you by our side we can defeat Frelia once and for all."

Duessel acknowledged Renault as the last pair approached.

"I am Mark, just Mark." A man with mop-like green hair bowed low.

"What do you mean, 'just Mark?'" L'Arachel laughed. "He is Mark, the slayer of Dragons. Mark, the savior of Lycia!"

"Wait, **that** Mark?" Amelia gasped.

"Then you must be the Lady Lyndis." Duessel spoke in awe as the swordswoman standing by Mark's side also bowed.

Lyn smiled. "It's comforting to know that we have enough veterans here to storm Etruria or Bern if we had to. Though I know little of this 'Frelia.'"

"Trust me." L'Arachel's smile quickly faded. "You will know more than enough about them soon enough."

Amelia couldn't help but stare as Mark pointed the way towards L'Arachel's war room.

**End Chapter**

* * *

Author's Note: Sure, the deck may seem stacked in L'Arachel's favor, but don't worry. Innes will reveal his hand soon enough.


	3. Hamil Canyon

Author's Note: I didn't really intend to make as big a deal about a certain plot point this early on. But I'll admit that I did make their relationship a lot more _obvious_ in the first chapter. And it does give L'Arachel a very good excuse for wanting to attack Renais and purge it of sin. You can also imagine the look on Duessel's face once he knows what Ephraim's been up to.

But don't worry, L'Arachel's side isn't exactly free of darker elements either. The paragraph you just read hopefully implies that.

Chapter 3: The Grand Experiment

**Taziel, Grado Fortress, New Grado Empire**

"Master Knoll, the project has progressed quite smoothly, but we may need to improve our safety procedures. The land surrounding our lab is covered in a deep frost, and various mages have used fire magic to thaw it with little effect."

"Thank you, Etzel, but we are so close to completion. To halt progress now for something that can be easily avoided is foolish. And if things in the north continue to be so drastic, our project would have to be hastened, not halted."

"Prime Minister, may I speak freely?"

"Of course, Etzel."

"My wife was killed in a previous war. Some thugs stole our wedding ring and used it to conscript me into their army. So I understand your disdain for this conflict. I can also surmise that you wish to use our findings to reverse the effects of the cataclysm. But, Lord Knoll, we can't even guarantee that the actual procedure will be successful! Should the _Time Break_ spell fail, we may be forced to continue this war with a frozen Taziel in our midst! And what if our efforts to modify events bring another unfavorable result?"

"Anything would be better than having hundreds of thousands die as their homes collapsed upon them. Prince Lyon wanted to stop this before it happened. His efforts failed. Now I will go one step further: I will ensure that it would never have happened! I don't even need Formotis for that! If I succeed, the very fact that Taziel froze because of our efforts will be made null!"

"Lord Knoll, please! Listen to yourself! You're saying that you don't care if we fail, and you seem to assume that any result would be better than what we have now. Don't you have a duty to protect the people of Grado? Even if their current circumstances are quite grim? Regardless of the outcome of our project, let us take care of the here and now. Taziel is freezing because of our work, and I suggest that we handle this problem before we continue. If we can somehow contain the icy wind and frost that has been a constant aftereffect of our project, we can ensure that, at least for now, the people of Taziel and perhaps even of western Grado itself will not suffer. If our project finally succeeds, then your words will be true. The very fact that we froze Taziel will be a moot point, perhaps even our lives as we know them would also be a moot point, but that's hypothetical. What we do know is that Taziel is covered in ice, and surely we can prevent that from spreading?"

"... Fine. Do what it takes to clean up our mess. But do not delay our efforts for too long! L'Arachel's crusade continues as we speak, and if the battle fares poorly our work may be far more urgent than you think. But you are right, there is no need for the people of Grado to suffer even more. And if we do fail we can at least help prevent another problem for them."

"Yes, sir! We won't take long, I promise you!"

* * *

**Frelian Royal Court**

When His Majesty Ephraim arrived at Mulan, General Syrene was there to greet him. She eagerly escorted him back to Frelia's capital, after reassuring both the King and Seth that there was no need for uncertainty or worry: Frelia could afford to strategize as Carcino had chosen not to invade.

They entered the throne room, only to come across a man sitting comfortably on Frelia's throne.

"Ephraim." He greeted the pair with a scoff.

"Innes." The King of Renais replied.

"I suppose I should thank you for answering my call. Unfortunately, Vanessa is not available: she is overseeing training for our air force and Grado's contingent of mages and shamans. I had no idea that so many Druids and Summoners survived the war with Grado, or perhaps Knoll is a better teacher than we thought."

"Aye. As ever, Renais will support Frelia in this campaign. We cannot allow Rausten to do as she pleases with the rest of Magvel. Carcino's lack of aggression is indeed a blessing, and I've brought an ample number of soldiers to help bolster your ranks."

"Thank you. How is _Queen_ Erika?"

Ephraim could have sworn he heard contempt in that word.

"My wife is doing fine. We recently had a child, though I heard many other heads of state were too busy to attend. L'Arachel was at our wedding though. A pity things have become this way."

Innes turned pale, and started to shiver slightly. "A child? Ephraim, what are you...?"

"Are we here to discuss my private life, or do we have a job to do, Innes? If you'd like I can just leave half the troops I brought here and return to Renais. Rausten won't risk enormous casualties facing us while you can face L'Arachel yourself."

Seth's eyes darted between both men as beads of sweat started settling on his brow.

Innes shook his head. "Ephraim, I wouldn't have called you here if it was only to critique your choices in life. No, I need your help too greatly. _Magvel_ needs you. Our old friend L'Arachel has gone too far. Joshua is dead. Jehanna is gone. Grado lies in pieces and Carcino spreads its influence further than any of our kingdoms could accept. In her quest for order, she risks destroying everything. That's why I need you, a master tactician who took Renvall with four men, to guide our efforts. Renais and Frelia have been allies, and allies we shall stay. With Knoll's help, we will certainly beat back the hordes of Rausten!"

Seth drooped his head even further as he knelt before the king of Frelia, while Ephraim smiled and grasped Innes' hand.

"You can count on us, Innes. Our families have been friends for so long. Minor quips wouldn't break those ties so easily."

_"Minor quips?"_ Innes thought to himself. _Ephraim, perhaps you truly do not understand the consequences of your actions. Your own sister..._

* * *

**Rausten Castle, War Room**

Duessel stared at the elaborate plans set before him.

"Master Mark, I do not doubt that your strategy will certainly prevent Frelia's forces from overwhelming Carcino, and may even retake Renvall from the Grado Imperials, but you seem to underestimate His Majesty King Innes of Frelia. It is also quite possible that Renais may join the war on Frelia's side. I'm sorry to say that King Ephraim has few reasons to join our crusade, and may be more interested in preventing our crusaders from changing the status quo."

"Well." L'Arachel scoffed. "He's certainly willing to make other extreme changes."

"Whatever do you mean, milady?" Duessel raised an eyebrow. "I'll admit that he was always a fairly rash youngster, but he had a cool head on his shoulders some of the time. Though it has been several years."

"Several years indeed. Duessel, are you aware of what happened to Erika?"

"No. I thought she simply married and kept a low profile."

"So they don't really inform others of the 'Queen of Renais,' do they?"

"From my understanding, we of East Grado are taught that King Ephraim rules Renais. It is assumed he has a Queen but the matter is not spoken of often, unlike Innes and Vanessa."

"Hmn. Perhaps Knoll is better informed than Deacon Tobias."

"The Prime Minister of the New Grado Empire is indeed an ally of Renais and Frelia, which means that Knoll is our enemy, but what exactly would Knoll know that is so important?"

"Oh, you old goat, think of it for a moment. You have no idea about Erika's whereabouts, and yet you assume that Ephraim has a Queen without even knowing her name. Well, let me tell you. They begged me to attend their wedding. They even have a son whose existence was uncovered by my informants in Renais. Erika is Ephraim's **Queen**!"

"His own sister?!" Amelia yelped. Among those present Nino's eyes were particularly wide with fear.

"Yes." L'Arachel sighed. "Ephraim and Erika are wed. Their union produced a male heir. A son to continue the royal line. A son that would be certainly be purely of their bloodline. They did so with no shame, with no sense of guilt, with no thought of what they were doing. They did so in defiance of God's vision for us all. In contrast Innes is simply a victim of misled ideals. He stands against our righteous and holy crusade only because he fears the new Magvel that will be born from our struggle. Joshua had similar fears, and my only regret is that I couldn't save him. His wife may be a meddler and an anarchist, but something tells me that Natasha could never knowingly commit evil. She is simply ignorant of the consequences of her deeds. Though she must be stopped, we can one day forgive her for her crimes are little different from Innes'.

"But though Erika may be innocent enough to accept her brother's love as husbandly affection, Ephraim is certainly guilty. Ephraim is not a fool: he must be well-aware of his sin. Since he fathered a child with her he probably revels in it. While we might be able to make Knoll see reason, and we can certainly forgive Innes for his misguided cause, Ephraim is the most heinous of sinners. One who knows that he has sinned, but shows no remorse. One who embraces it! When Rausten liberates all of Magvel, Ephraim will pay for his crimes against his sister, for his crimes against his clan, for his crimes against the very civilization of Magvel! That, my friends, is why we fight. We will make sure that Magvel will never bear such shame again!"

* * *

**Castle Frelia, War Room**

Innes led Ephraim and Seth to Frelia's war room.

"I apologize for my rudeness, Ephraim, but I wanted you to meet a few newcomers. They have recently arrived by ship from a distant land, but their reputation certainly precedes them."

"Innes, you should have told me that you wanted to hold a council with some important people. I could certainly present myself in something other than battle armor."

Innes laughed. "This is a war room, Ephraim. Armor is certainly appropriate for such an occasion. Sir Seth, your wisdom would be most crucial as well."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Seth nodded.

A group of men and women entered through other doors in the war room, and as Innes pointed towards them he struck a dramatic pose:

"Behold, King of Renais, how I've gathered champions from across the sea!"

"... You are too kind, your majesty. Although my companions and I are indeed veteran knights, I have seen many of Frelia's finest demonstrate that they are also formidable and shed light on our questionable talents..." A green haired woman replied, her own armor glistening in the afternoon light.

"Palla, you should not speak like that. The rest of us vill easily show how ve can stand vith the best of them! Von't ve, Chris?"

A mage, who tried to look inconspicuous behind three other girls, was forced to respond. "Ah, yes, Athena. Your Majesty," he bowed before Innes. "You have requested our aid in this conflict, and we will gladly accept. I am honored to be in your presence as well, Lord Ephraim. Your victory against that horror Formotis is an ever-growing legend amongst our people."

"Your people?" Ephraim raised an eyebrow. "So Innes is not being dramatic, then? You hail from another land."

"It is good that you do not think that ve are strange, Your Majesty." Athena bowed. "But I am from a place very far away. Chris, Linde, Katarina, Catria, Ogma, and Palla here are from Akaneia."

"A few of those names sound quite familiar." Seth nodded. "Milady Linde, you are none other than the daughter and heir of Pontifex Miloah, no? Many mages across the world whisper of a mighty tome that only he could wield."

"So father is known here as well." Linde smiled. "Indeed. You must be referring to 'Aura.' I've seen other mages demonstrate competence in it too... Yet I thank you for your kind words. But you, sir, are...?"

"General Seth of Renais."

"Seth! Wow. To speak with the heroes of Renais is... It's almost surreal." Katarina muttered.

"It seems we've gathered several notable people." Ephraim spoke. "But Innes, as my forces marched towards Mulan we heard rumors that Mark, the savior of Lycia himself has joined L'Arachel's cause. These warriors here are surely formidable, and I'm honestly thrilled that we have a Sage like Linde here, but we're dealing with a formidable strategist. I don't think I can pull another Renvall under his watch."

"That is why I am here." Chris spoke, gently brushing Katarina, Linde, and the knight called Catria aside as the three of them, and Athena, curiously beamed at him. "I suppose I would have the title '_The Second and Final Slayer of _Gharnef', but not that many people outside of this room know of that fact. I am Chris, and I once helped Lord Marth in his campaign against Emperor Hardin. Though Jeigan was the main tactician in that war, I provided some valuable insight, and I intend to do so again. I've studied Mark's strategies and tactics from the various records and tales that have been spread around, and I think I can propose a few counterplans that may give him pause. Indeed, Your Majesty, with Mark as an opponent we will need every asset we have."

"He is no braggart, Ephraim." Innes remarked. "He still carries _Starlight_ with him, Sage Gotoh's last creation, even though many of our own scribes dismiss it as a myth."

"If you knew Marth, and in fact served him during those legendary battles, then you must know many other heroes from that distant land." Ephraim addressed Chris.

"Indeed, your majesty. And I am certain I can call upon some of them for aid should the need arise."

"Well, it's settled then. Innes, Renais will not betray her old friendship with Frelia. I will fight alongside you and Master Chris. Master Mark will surely find us a terrifying challenge!"

* * *

**Near Hamil Canyon, Disputed Territory (Formerly Jehannan, now officially administered under Theocracy of East Grado, but seized by Neo Grado Empire)**

It was a glorious victory.

Though they had failed to retake Jehanna Hall from the Rausten bandits, even with some partisan support, L'Arachel had been foolish enough to allow parts of Jehanna to fall under East Grado's jurisdiction. This mistake now cost her much of the territory west of a narrow line between Jehanna and Grado's famed Halls. Though they did not receive any reinforcements from nearby Renais, the combined air force of Frelian pegasus knights and the New Grado Empire's wyvern riders scattered the incompetent Rausten and Theocratic Eastern rabble, forcing them to flee to those two legendary citadels.

Yet, Cormag noted, there was a problem. Land troops would not arrive at their position in time: they were still deploying from the recently liberated fortress of Renvall. The Theocratic administrator of Renvall at the time, Bishop Thomas, had fought tooth and nail to prevent the city from falling to the Frelian/Grado alliance, and though he died many of his fanatic followers continued their resistance. It was saddening, having to kill so many men who were blinded by warped religion and twisted moral standards, but it was necessary. They might have been rebels, but they were once citizens and soldiers of Grado. The scars of war might never heal in his homeland, Cormag feared.

But Cormag, as a mere veteran soldier, would never know the true nature of his situation. At Hamill Canyon, even the Frelian commander who led alliance forces in the region was ignorant of the ploy that followed.

As the combined air force decided to rest, Mark began his move. Clinging to the back of a pegasus knight named Est, he directed a large number of Rausten's "air force" to drop several cavalrymen, archers, and mages along the various mountains, allowing a paladin named Abel to take command of a contingent of ground troops that would move across the surprisingly large grassland of the canyon.

Elanae, a Commander of the Frelian Air Force, ordered her troops and her auxiliaries from Grado to encamp themselves around the various old forts within the canyon. Thus, few of her men were on patrol that day. They had just forced a sizable regiment of East Grado and Rausten's soldiers to flee the area, never suspecting that Rausten sent Mark to reinforce and retake the region as necessary.

* * *

**First Strike: The Battle of Hamill Canyon**

"Master Mark, I don't doubt your strategy here, but, well, Abel and I are... Perhaps... More than comrades. I worry for his safety. I apologize if-"

Mark slowly waved his hand. "No need to apologize, Lady Est. Although it would have been better had you informed me of your relationship with Sir Abel earlier. Your support on the field may prove invaluable to him. Either way, lay your fears to rest. I made absolutely sure that his platoon consists of the best of the best. Lady Nino is with him, along with a few other veterans."

As Est and Mark were watching them from afar, Abel and his troops continued to hike across the canyon. Among Abel's men, there were a pair of mages whose powers were literally coursing through their veins. Though they did use Elfire tomes like most of their peers, both mages would cast certain spells that would prove painful for them.

"Ryuto, it's surprising, isn't it? Ever since I lost the power to teleport I thought my life as a valued witch was over. Yet, fighting alongside Alm and Celica helped put things into perspective. Now we fight for a new cause, but I can't help but feel nostalgic. It's been a while since I've put my magic to this kind of use."

"It's the same for me, Sonia. Jenny might have been content just sealing her magic, but I could never do that. It may be true that there are so many other mages that outperform me, but I-"

"Even when Lord Mark specifically asks you to march within a crucial platoon, you still think so lowly of yourself? I've seen you in action, Ryuto. Stop belittling yourself! A mage much wield his powers with pride if he hopes to excel!"

"Yeah, well, thanks. As I was saying, even with that in consideration I simply cannot separate myself from my powers. They are a part of me. I guess that's why the Empress hired us, since it seems like the other mages here rely on tomes while we can release magical power from our own blood."

"Indeed. They do seem rather unnerved when I release some of my stronger spells. I've noticed some of the younger clerics look terrified when I fire off a spell at an enemy, since my blood gets everywhere."

"I'm still surprised that you take that kind of abuse each time you cast a spell without flinching. Even Celica would wince, and she was more athletic than either of us."

"Are you suggesting something, Ryuto? I am not weak! But as fellow mages I'm sure we'll always look out for each other. I'm certainly vulnerable after releasing a spell, but you wouldn't let me get caught by the enemy, would you?" Sonia grinned.

"Of course not." Ryuto blushed.

"Anyway." Sonia took note of the many eyes that were staring at them. "We're rapidly approaching one of the forts. It's showtime, Ryuto."

"Yes, Sonia. But you don't have to act so tough. I'm here for you."

Her cheeks flushed slightly and she fell silent.

* * *

Abel and his riders fell upon the first fort.

As they charged towards the structure, only three pegasus knights dived towards them. Spear met armor and arrows flew from Rausten-made bows. Abel winced as an enemy spear jabbed his thigh, but a quick barrage of arrows and a final blast from an aircaliber took the offender down. The wind swirled around Nino as she quickly closed her tome.

"That spell... I've never seen anything like that." A Rausten sage in Abel's platoon murmured.

Nino grinned. "To tell the truth, this spell was not well known in my hometown before either. But it's become more popular as more nations use aerial units."

"I heard that one of the Sacred Twins of Jehanna is Excalibur, "the Swift Wind." Lady Nino, what is that spell you're using?" A bishop in the platoon asked.

Nino shrugged. "Maybe it's related somehow, but I wouldn't know. This tome is called aircalibur, but I usually just memorize the incantation..." Her cheeks flushed somewhat. "I'm not very good at reading."

The other mages stared at her in awe. Years spent reading tomes and memorizing words and in spite of her illiteracy she could wield a tome that would crush them all!

* * *

They came piecemeal, in twos and threes and fours.

Squads of Frelian pegasus knights and Gradoan wyvern knights roused from slumber sallied forth to find waves of arrows and blasts of wind headed for them.

A couple of mages had a devastating spell of their own.

* * *

A wyvern lord, one of a handful that were in charge of the Grado wyvern auxiliaries, ordered his wyvern to slam its feet into the ground in front of a fairly attractive enemy sage. *

Sonia sneered at her opponent. "That's a mighty animal you have. You've been feeding it well!"

"Why thank you." The knight replied. "But now he'll have you for a meal, miss."

Sonia swayed seductively before her foe, twirling her hands at her sides. "Mila, grant me the strength to pierce the resolve of my foes. May my swords slice the darkness: Arrow!"

She winced, and the wyvern lord looked on in horror as her own body began to react to her incantation. Her arteries and veins took on an eerie red glow as magical power raced down her arms. As she thrust her palms forward, they split open to reveal a barrage of arrows that flew out of her bloody, gaping wound. Before the wyvern lord had the chance to react, let alone get away, the arrows pierced the wings, chest, and throat of his wyvern, and as the beast fell a few more shots emerged from Sonia's wound and stabbed through the falling knight's helmet.

Sonia couldn't help but let an eyebrow twitch a little as the wound closed in upon itself. Her blood still left thick stains on the ground as she staggered back towards her allies.

"Sonia!" Ryuto jogged up to her and gently held onto an arm. "Here, we'll get one of the medics to heal you."

"Ryuto, you old fool, this won't kill me." Her cheeks flushed slightly as he stood next to her while several Rausten clerics waved their glowing, soothing wands onto her hands and arms. Slowly the blood faded and the scars from the wound disappeared.

"There have been many times when we mages would fling our strongest spells. The spells would rip through our bodies, but our healers wouldn't have the time to get to us so soon. I can still fire off several shots before my body has to rest." Sonia reassured her allies as they returned to the front.

"Perhaps we should start learning a few tome-based spells as well." Ryuto mused. "It's not like we enjoy pain."

* * *

Spells crashed on them. Arrows rained on them. Spears and axes were flung in their direction. The aerial knights of Frelia and Grado fell one by one before the Rausten tide.

"Commander!" Cormag yelled above the sounds of slaughter. "We have few reserves remaining. The canyon is lost! I advise we retreat."

"You were foolish to abandon your command, knight." Elanae laughed. "If I fall in combat you will most certainly be questioned. I doubt they'd allow a Frelian commander's death to go unnoticed without a court martial for her Gradoan assistant. Stand your ground and fight!"

Cormag sighed solemnly. "Very well, sir. Your orders?"

"Engage the enemy, knight, while I hold our most critical garrison. You are correct in that we have few men left, which is why I will send you a few reinforcements once you've engaged those Rausten bandits. If you survive, I promise I'll make it worth your while." She winked.

Cormag shook his head, ordered his wyvern to fly high in the sky, and then descended Nino as she marched alongside Abel and their fellow knights. The sheer force of his landing knocked her flat on her back.

"Mage! You picked the wrong day to enter the battlefield. Your death awaits."

"Wha-? Good sir, I'm shocked that you'd just attack me like this." Nino got up and glared daggers at him. "Aren't you a knight?! Ok, I'm not holding back: Aircaliber!"

The waves of wind hacked through his wyvern's wings, and Cormag cried out in pain as his stead fell. He jumped off his fallen mount and, like a true soldier, charged at Nino with his spear.

Abel rode forth and plunged his own spear into Cormag's chest.

"So it ends... Years of peace between Rausten and Frelia shattered by an incomprehensible war. L'Arachel... Why?..."

Abel and Nino exchanged a glance. "We should report to the Empress regarding this knight's mutterings. She may have known him."

Nino nodded with a sympathetic look at Cormag's corpse. "If he was a comrade in the last war against Formotis, it would be a shame, wouldn't it? Empress L'Arachel would have lost another friend."

* * *

"Lieutenant Cormag fell in battle?" Elanae's eyes widened as one of the surviving wyvern knights bowed before her. "Then we are lost. Rally every last soldier we have. This is the end."

Six falcoknights glided gracefully towards Abel's troops. A pair of wyvern lords and eight wyvern knights flew with them. Small teams of common soldiers tried to keep up on their flanks, but the sheer speed of the aerial knights left them speechless. They wouldn't make it in time.

"Commander of the Rausten soldiers, I seek a truce." Elanae called aloud.

"Yes, Frelian?" Abel's face stayed grim.

"Leave this region now, and Frelia will present you with all your war dead. In addition, we will call off the advance of our troops towards Grado Keep. I'm sorry that we can't negotiate the return of Renvall, but we will cease our attacks on Rausten territory."

"That's not good enough, miss!" Mark called out as Est landed her pegasus beside Abel.

"Lord Mark, you should not approach the field!" Abel gasped. Nino quickly ran to Mark's side, with Est providing an additional shield and spear.

"So it is you, Savior of Lycia. I knew that Rausten had to have some half-decent tactician to achieve such a victory."

"You flatter yourself, knight. You sent dozens of veteran soldiers to die and left whole garrisons manned with untrained initiates who lacked the sense to stay vigilant in wartime. This hardly counts as a battle. Surrender, and allow Hamil Canyon to recover from today's nightmare."

"You dare insult me to my face? You seek death!" Elanae hissed as she and her knights charged.

"Mila! I plead thee to help cure the ills of the land. Grant me a flight of angels to smite the horror of evil: Angel!"

As Sonia grit her teeth, her body glowed with bright white light, and the images of angels poured forth. As blood flowed freely down her frame, more glowing likenesses of angels appeared. Sonia's legs wobbled weakly as the glow of her body faded and the waves of images crashed into Elanae and her retinue.

"Goddess Mila, the winds howl with rage at this war's injustice. Please, send a breeze of joy: Excalibur!"

Ryuto thrust his hands forward as the veins in his arms glowed blue. He grunted as his arms burst open and searing winds swirled before him, slicing the Frelian pegasus knights and their wyvern allies to ribbons. As the winds cleared, little remained of Elanae or her knights.

"Get some healers to patch up those two, now!" Mark yelled as Rausten clerics and bishops rushed to the pair's side. "... But we've done an excellent job. Hamil Canyon has been liberated!"

* * *

* Yes, in Gaiden all female mages promote to priestess, but can still use black magic (which consists of various anima-ish and light spells). Since Magvel has a fairly unique class tree, I've interpreted the Gaiden 'priestess' class as Sage. None of the 'Saint' class characters from Gaiden appear in this story, and Jenny even sealed her magic which makes that part of Gaiden's magic branch even less accessible for this fic.


End file.
